The Man Who Lied
by RatheraMutemwiya
Summary: The third series in my altraverse that includes The Boy Who Cried and The Girl Who Loved. This is a work of slash, in particular, Snape/Lockhart. Read/Review; there's a new chapter as of May 23rd that continues the last joint story chapter. Please R/R!
1. The Patient

The Man Who Lied - Part I  
  
Author's Note: Alright, this is the third series in my altraverse that  
includes "The Girl Who Loved and "The Boy who Cried." Timewise, it starts  
at the beginning of year 6 for the gang, just like "The Boy Who Cried"  
does.  
  
Note that these three series will eventually combine into one story   
describing a 7th year where all three pairings are in full bloom. Watch  
for that story, "The Souls That Died," sometime after I finish posting  
all the parts of the current three trilogies :-) So yes, for the   
skeptical, there IS an underlying plot that entwines all three of these  
rather fluffy fics.  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! This one is Lockhart/Snape in particular,  
and trust me, it is going to get weird. But I think I have an okay idea  
for it, so please give it a try!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape tipped the cauldron as he poured out a steaming vial of the   
memorius potion. He methodically added the final ingredients, just as he  
had every evening for the last several years. And each night, his patient  
did not change, for he seemed beyond the reach of any potion or brew  
Snape could cook up.  
  
It was each evening when he went to brew this potion that Snape became  
more aware of his own inaudequacy than any other time of the day. He  
knew that Dumbledore's trust in his skills was misplaced, knew that all  
his so called skill with potions was really nothing more than a bit of  
skillfull posturing in front of a bunch of easily awed students. One  
dose of the memorius potion should have cured his patient- one dose!  
And yet here Snape was again, brewing a potion that might as well have  
been water for all the good it seemed to be doing.  
  
Why his patient was so intent on resisting the potion was beyond Snape's  
knowledge. All Snape knew was that his patient remained so childlike as  
to require constant care and supervision just to get through the day.  
It didn't make sense- how could Snape keep failing like this?  
  
The potion ready, Snape gathered the vial carefully in his pale and   
twisted fingers, knowing as he did so that it didn't matter if he   
dropped the vial, for the potion would do as much good seeping into the   
wooden floorpanels as it would inside his patient. But he pushed such  
thoughts away with a snarl- after all, it was for his patient, not Snape,  
to be the final judge of his remedies. It was his duty only to administer  
it and pray.  
  
His robes billowing around him, Snape plodded through the corridors, the  
thin soles of his slippers sliding gently and silently along the tiles.  
His footsteps turned towards the deepest dungeons, where his patient was  
hidden from the prying eyes of the resident Hogwarts tricksters.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The man who had once been Lockhart sat alone in the well furnished room.  
The beauty of his cell could not change the fact that it was in effect  
a prison, but such was the state of Lockhart's mind that he did not   
understand his confinement enough to desire to rebel against it. His   
beautiful features were the same as those that had once graced the cover  
of Witch Weekly, or rather, they were all the same except for his eyes.  
  
Lockhart's eyes had lost all their intensity, and their color had faded  
to a dull steel. His gaze darted about the room as if trying to assimilate  
his surroundings- though his surroundings had not changed for the past  
several months. He measured his days, when he understood the concept of  
day and night, only by the arrival of his nightly potion.  
  
A gentle knock on the door caused Lockhart to turn and stare blankly   
through the bars on the prisonlike door. "Come in," he whispered  
mechanically, just as he had every night for so long.  
  
Snape opened the door, balancing a tray of food brought by one of the  
house elfs in one hand, and the potion in the other. "How are you feeling,  
Gilderoy?" He asked as he placed the tray on the end table beside the bed.  
No response. Snape hadn't been expecting one, of course, but it still made  
his heart sink in his chest.   
  
Picking up an empty goblet, Snape poured the contents of the vial out and   
offered the glass to Gilderoy. Taking it, his actions routine and   
mechanical, Gilderoy downed the potion without heed to its foul taste.  
  
Snape took the drained goblet back from Gilderoy with tears glistening in   
his eyes. "Do you remember me, Gilderoy?" He asked. Once again, no response.  
No change. Unable to cope with the strain, Snape almost shouted, "Why don't  
you want to remember anything, Gilderoy? Why won't you come back?" Again,  
no response.  
  
He might as well have been screaming at a deaf child for all the response  
Gilderoy made. Flustered, Snape forced himself to return to the routine  
of trying to help Gilderoy to eat. Another knock at the doorway made him  
pause. Apparently, his screaming had not gone unnoticed. "Come in." He  
said, exhaustion in his voice.  
  
Dumbledore walked into the room, looking at Snape with almost imperceptible  
concern. "One of the house elves thought they heard shouting." He said,  
when Snape didn't try to start a conversation. Snape looked away, not  
wanting to answer, for there was really no answer to be given.  
  
Sighing, Dumbledore continued, "Dobby had agreed to take care of Lockhart  
for a few minutes. I need to talk to you for a moment." The tiny elf  
poked his head out from behind Dumbledore, finding Snape's presence  
intimidating.  
  
Looking at the elf in disgust, Snape begin to protest, "I hardly think that  
is necessary..."  
  
"Now, if you please, Severus." Dumbledore's tone was not one to be argued   
with. Squeezing Gilderoy's hand in parting, a gesture which the patient  
made no sign of even noticing, Snape rose to accompany Dumbledore from  
the chamber.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued....   
  
Yes, that was very short even by my standards, but that's because I   
really want feedback on whether anyone thinks this pairing is even   
POSSIBLE. Plus, I'm really uncertain about my characterizations here,   
and I'd like to know what you all think.  
  
Thanx to everyone who reviewed "The Girl Who Loved - Part IV", this   
wouldn't have been written if it weren't for all of your feedback.  
So keep providing me with the motivation to write on and leave  
a review!!  



	2. A Single Potion

The Man Who Lied - Part II  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
READ BELOW FIRST:  
  
Author's Note: As you might already know, this is the third series in   
my altraverse that includes "The Girl Who Loved and "The Boy who Cried."   
Timewise, it starts at the beginning of year 6 for the gang, just like   
"The Boy Who Cried" does. This occurs after Part III of  
"The Boy Who Cried", in fact, it is the next Double Potions class.  
"The Girl Who Loved" hasn't started yet, so Harry and Hermione are  
a couple. Confused yet? :-D  
  
Note that these three series will eventually combine into one story   
describing a 7th year where all three pairings are in full bloom. Watch  
for that story, "The Souls That Died," sometime after I finish posting  
all the parts of the current three trilogies :-) So yes, for the   
skeptical, there IS an underlying plot that entwines all three of these  
rather fluffy fics.  
  
Now, about this particular story... I recived a review from "Anonymous   
at 8:30" :-D that asked for more detail about "why Snape would do   
something like that"- that, of course, being helping Lockhart. So to   
answer, this part goes a bit deeper into Snape's mind than I originally   
intended to. Please review and tell me what you think!  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! This one is Lockhart/Snape in particular,  
and trust me, it is going to get weird. But I think I have an okay idea  
for it, so please give it a try!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape seated himself uncomfortably in the ratty velvet encrusted chair  
across from Dumbledore. He felt Dumbledore's eyes upon him, felt the   
headmasters intense gaze burning into his soul. No longer able to   
tolerate the stifling silence, Snape cleared his throat and prompted,  
"You needed to speak to me, Headmaster?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Yes. The representative from the Institute for the  
Study of Magical Maladies owled again, asking after Gilderoy. They   
offered to take him into their care..."  
  
Snape's fists clenched under the sleeves of his black robes and he   
gritted his teeth, able only to hiss a single word. "No."  
  
Dumbledore watched the professor almost warily. He suggested   
tentatively, "If Gilderoy hadn't responded to your treatment, perhaps  
another could help him..."  
  
One look at the expression on Snape's face told Dumbledore that had   
been the wrong thing to say. Snape's expression changed to one  
rarely seen on his features- a look of indignant hurt, if it could  
be called that. He spoke quietly, but there was venom in his tone.  
"If you do not think I am capable of caring for... for Lockhart,  
than just say so, Headmaster. If that is the case, I will resign  
from Hogwarts immediately and petition to the Ministry to have  
Lockhart placed under my care at home."  
  
"Why is this so important to you, Severus?" Dumbledore asked   
quietly. He'd asked the question many times over the last few years,  
as Snape had devoted more and more time to caring for Gilderoy,  
but he had never gotten a satisfactory answer.   
  
Snape dropped his gaze. He would like to answer Dumbledore,   
certainly, for Dumbledore's tone and expression invited him to confide  
in the headmaster. But Snape didn't have an answer to give, so instead  
he responded as he always had, "Because it is."   
  
Usually that was answer enough for Dumbledore, but now, faced with   
the constant owls of Ministry officials, asking why he hadn't released  
the heroic Gilderoy for proper care, he needed more. If Snape had  
a reason for keeping Gilderoy here, fine, but Dumbledore was tired  
of recieving vague replies to his questions. "That's not an answer,  
Severus." He said calmly. "If I am to justify the expense of keeping  
Lockhart here, you need to give me reason to."  
  
Unable to meet Dumbledore's eyes, Snape looked around the headmaster's  
chamber, his mind blank. In one corner, the rather ragged looking  
phoenix, Fawkes, sat watching Snape with the same single minded  
intensity Dumbledore displayed. It was almost time for it to be reborn,  
Snape realized with a start. The thought gave him some notion of what  
he needed to say to Dumbledore. Organizing his mind quickly, Snape  
turned back to Dumbledore.  
  
As he looked at the headmaster, Snape's resolve faltered. Lying to this  
man was a futile endeavor... but then, who was to say it was a lie?  
Snape himself wasn't really sure why he had taken this burden upon  
himself. Quietly, he began to speak, "When I served under... under   
he-who-must-not-be-named, I destroyed so many people's lives. Caring  
for Lockhart is... my redemption. He... I know I can help him!" Snape's  
own conviction surprised him. "If I can help him... start his life   
over, it will almost be like helping those I couldn't save."  
  
Unconvinced, but knowing he would gain nothing by pursuing the matter  
further, Dumbledore stated, "We'll let that suffice, for now. I'll  
tell the Institute Gilderoy will be staying here for at least a   
while longer.  
  
Knowing he was dismissed, Snape rose and turned to leave when he   
heard Dumbledore's voice from behind him once more. "And Severus...  
next time I see you, I hope you have a better answer for me."  
  
Snape left without a word.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Snape entered Lockhart's chambers once more, Dobby was still  
there, helping Lockhart remember how to eat. One look at Snape's  
cold expression sent Dobby scampering away, however, and Snape   
took over.   
  
The gentleness Snape never displayed to any human showed through  
now, when he was finally alone with Lockhart. Snape watched as Lockhart  
absently nibbled at his food, and poured him a glass of butterbeer  
brought specially from the Hogsmeade pub. As Lockhart drank it, Snape  
could almost swear he saw a flicker of recognition of the taste flash  
in Lockhart's eyes. But perhaps, Snape thought miserably, he'd been  
waiting so long for a sign that Lockhart's memory was returning that   
he was seeing things that were not there.  
  
When Lockhart was finished eating, Snape helped him back into his   
bed. "Goodnight, Gilderoy." He whispered, wincing when Lockhart   
turned away to stare at the wall without even acknowledging him.  
  
Snape rose and left the room, ending the room's light spell as he  
exited. Had he turned, he would have seen Lockhart shift slightly  
to watch him go.  
  
Had he turned, Snape might have seen, if only for a moment, a   
flash of memory light Lockhart's eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape lay alone in his bedchamber, darkness hiding the sparce  
decorations of the chamber. He curled up in the bed as a toddler might,   
though it was unlikely that there were many toddlers even in the   
wizarding world who slept in luxorious silken sheets as Snape did.  
  
Sleep was far from Snape's mind on this night, however, for his thoughts  
were on Dumbledore's last words to him. Why did he still want to care for  
Lockhart, even when it seemed so hopeless? If someone had asked him a  
few years ago how he'd feel about devoting hours each night to a selfish  
prig who had no hope of regaining their memory... Snape would have   
laughed at the mere suggestion that he would make such a commitment.  
And now, here he was.  
  
Deciding that this would all be far easier to contemplate in the   
morning, Snape buried his head in his pillow and was soon fast asleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Morning came far too quickly for Snape's liking. As he arranged his  
dress robes and engaged for a few minutes in a hopeless battle to deal  
with his hair, Snape realized with a groan that it was Tuesday. That   
meant he had to teach Double Potions to the Slytherins and the  
Gryffindors.  
  
As Snape hustled down the steps to reach his classroom, or rather  
dungeon, he mentally reviewed the lesson plan for these twits today.  
But the thought of delivering another lecture to these incompotent  
fools simply sickened him, and for a moment he was thankful he   
had slept through breakfast.   
  
Instead, Snape's mind drifted back to Lockhart, as it often did when  
he was stressed. Maybe Dumbledore was right, maybe someone else could  
succeed where he had failed. But he didn't see how... only the caster  
of a spell had the real advantage when it came to preparing the   
antidote, and from what he had heard of the incident it had been   
Lockhart himself who cast the spell...  
  
Of course! Snape almost kicked himself for his own stupidity. True,  
Lockhart had cast the spell, but it hadn't been with his own wand.  
It had been one of the terrible trio... Weasley? Potter? Granger?  
Perhaps it didn't matter. If he got all three of them to work on   
a potion, then just perhaps... He took the stairs two by two,   
just as he had as a boy, in his hurry to reach the classroom. He  
had a new lesson to prepare for the day.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione and Harry walked into potions hand in hand, with Ron trailing  
behind them. Neville was already there, sitting with the Slytherins,  
Draco and Goyle in particular. Hermione, Harry, and Ron showed their  
disapproval of Neville's choice by seating themselves as far away  
from the group as possible.   
  
Snape stood at the front of the room, muttering to himself anxiously as  
he gathered up some last minute ingredients. When all of the class   
were finally seated, he began to lecture in his quiet, snide, manner,  
and the class in turn grew so silent to hear him that had someone   
dropped a pin you could have heard it hit the floor.  
  
"Today we are going to try something a little bit unusual, so I'd  
like everyone to listen carefully so that it can penetrate your  
tiny minds." He said with a sneer. "The entire class will be  
devoted to practical potion making, and it is one that everyone  
save Miss Know it All Granger is probably unfamiliar with. The  
instructions and ingredients are all assembled on the front lab  
desk. Form into groups of three and familiarize yourself with  
the formula."   
  
With that, the class exploded in movement, everyone gathering into  
groups to make sure they wouldn't end up struggling through this   
alone. Watching Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle, Neville waited for the  
inevitable "I'm sorry Neville, but we already have three people.  
You don't mind, do you?" But it never came. Instead, Draco stood  
and asked Snape, "Proffesor, would you mind if we had a group  
of four?"  
  
Snape looked over at the grouping. "Fine." He muttered. Draco was,  
after all, one of his favorite students... he at least showed  
some inkling of intelligence that wasn't found in a book.   
  
Neville looked up at Draco with an appreciative smile, and the four   
got to work.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione, Harry, and Ron worked frantically to prepare the  
ingredients for their Memorius potion, they were only half aware  
of Snape hovering over them. He rarely spoke, instead he watched,  
fretting over each of their mistakes. His impatience ate away at   
him, he wished he could test his theory now, but instead he was  
stuck watching these imbeciles bungle through the fine art of   
potion making.  
  
Finally, after what felt like hours to both Snape and the three  
young potion makers, the class was over and the potion finished.  
With hardly a glance to spare for any of the other groups, Snape  
dismissed the class- all save the three. Neville looked back  
uncertainly, but was quickly swept with the tide of Slytherins  
as they made their way to lunch.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape took a flask from the shelf and with trembling hands reached  
to take a few precious drops of the potion within it. He looked  
maliciously at the three students around him, who had watched the   
professor dubiously, trying to decide if he had finally gone mad.  
  
Holding the potion up to the light, Snape studied it. The consistency  
seemed right, and he had watched the three with such hawkish intensity  
that he doubted they could have messed up the ingredients had they   
tried. "This will do." He said abruptly. "Ten points to Gryffindor.  
Now get to lunch."   
  
Deciding it would be best to get out before Snape changed his mind,  
the three departed as fast as their legs could carry them. Corking  
the flask and covering the cauldron carefully, Snape walked out of   
the room and made his way to Lockhart's chambers quickly, not wanting  
to wait another moment before he tested this new theory.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron watched Snape head off in puzzlement. Harry and Hermione had   
already drifted ahead, too lost in their silly teenage romance to   
notice anything else, so instead of catching up to them Ron turned   
to follow Snape. The corridors they passed through were unfamiliar  
to him, but then, Ron was far less interested in gallavanting around  
the school than his brothers or even Harry.  
  
Thankfully for Ron, Snape was far too lost in his own hopes and   
daydreams to notice he was being followed. The usually dignified  
and uptight professor was practically skipping, knowing that this  
latest remedy for Lockhart had some slim hope of success. A slim  
hope was infinitely better than the hopelessness that had dominated  
the last year.  
  
Snape opened the door to Lockhart's chambers without bothering to   
close it behind him. A few moments after Snape entered, a rather  
affronted looking Dobby exited and disappeared sullenly in the   
direction of the kitchens. Driven by curiousity, Ron crept closer,  
peering into the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape took the tray of lunch from Dobby and set it aside, taking  
an empty glass and pouring the potion into it. His hands trembled  
slightly as he once again studied the potion for the slightest  
sign of imperfection. Then, steeling his nerves, he offered the   
potion to Lockhart.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Snape entered, Lockhart looked up warily. How could a day  
have passed so quickly? This was not right, it was not the same  
as routine dictated. The little colored creature was to feed him  
twice before the larger man arrived with the Drink. But still,  
Lockhart knew better than to refuse the offered potion. He knew  
that the big man had a temper, gentle though the man might be at   
times. And after all, these two, plus one older being with wrinkles  
as a slight stoop to his hack, were all he knew.   
  
Lockhart drank the potion unhesitatingly. When he finished drinking,  
he looked up again at the big man, who was looking down at him  
so expectingly.   
  
Frowning, Lockhart looked up at the man. Something so familiar...   
but he couldn't put a name to it. Unless...  
  
"Severus." Lockhart said calmly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape smiled, a smile that was not at all like his customary  
smirk. "Gilderoy... you remember me?"  
  
Lockhart frowned, staring up at him. "Yes. And no. I don't know."  
For the first time since he had been struck with the amnesia  
inducing spell, Lockhart remembered what it was like to panic.  
"Severus, what's wrong with me?"  
  
A tinge of worry appeared on Snape's face. "It's hard to explain.  
You've been unable to remember anything for... several years now."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron's gasp was ill timed and, most unfortunately, quite audible  
to the two men. Snape whirled around, and before Ron could back   
away he grabbed the boy and dragged him into the chamber. His   
face was almost contorted in anger. "What were you doing   
eavesdropping on us?" He asked maliciously.  
  
Lockhart looked up at the newcomer, the first new face he had  
seen in years. "Ron?" He asked. Ron nodded mutely, preferring   
to face Lockhart over Snape any day.   
  
Snape's expression relaxed slightly when Lockhart spoke again.  
True, Ron was a nuisance, but the boy was after all at least  
partly responsible for Lockhart's progress. Snape was willing  
to overlook the eavesdropping this once.  
  
Meanwhile, Lockhart studied both of them impartially. "I don't  
remember." He said with a tone of resigned finality. "I mean...  
I know your names, I know your faces. But I don't remember...  
I don't remember who you are. Or who I am."   
  
Snape frowned, but said weakly, "But this is still progress.  
Before, you didn't know anything. Perhaps with more potions..."  
Much as he dreaded the thought of dealing with Weasley, Potter,  
and Granger as a potion making team again, if it would help  
Lockhart...  
  
A sudden realization struck Snape. "Gilderoy, I need to discuss  
something with Weas.. with Ron for a moment. I'll be back in a  
moment. Lockhart nodded mutely, and Snape exited the room with  
Ron in tow.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Once they were outside, Snape closed the door to Lockhart's  
chamber... cell was more like it, Ron thought rather grimly.  
"I need to know what happened the day you went below  
to the Chamber of Secrets with Harry." Snape said firmly.  
  
Ron tried to think back. "You mean you need to know how   
Gilderoy ended up like this?" He asked. Maybe Ron wasn't as  
smart as Hermione, but he could put two and two together,  
and it was afterall fairly obvious when you gave it some  
thought. When Snape didn't answer, and instead regarded  
Ron rather impatiently, Ron continued hastily, "Well, he  
was using my broken wand, and the spell bounced back and  
hit him instead..."  
  
Snape cut him off there, "Fine then. Listen Weasley, this  
area is off limits to students. If you don't want me to   
take points of Gryffindor, you're going to help me out."  
  
Raising his eyes, Ron nodded mutely. "Good." Snape   
muttered. "Go to lunch now, but report to me after   
your last class today." Relieved to finally get away, Ron  
scampered off to see if he still had time to get even a   
bite of lunch before Transfiguration.  
  
Snape watched him go before he turned around to return to   
Lockhart.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued....   
  
Longer than before!!! Actually, I think this is my longest yet in these.   
:-D I really want comments on the storyline in this one and  
on Snape's character, so if you have a moment... anything you say  
will be used when I start writing the next part!!  
  
Thanx to everyone who reviewed Part I, individual replies to reviewers  
are below:   
  
Minx- I think you've reviewed nearly all my fics, thank you so much!  
This is going to be a love/hate relationship once Lockhart   
revives... but I wouldn't say they are exactly opposites :-D  
  
Hermione Williams- Thanx, I'm hoping this will work, somehow. A new  
part of The Girl Who Loved will be up soon too, after midterms.  
  
Raggona- Well, since I'm a gay person myself, I hope someday they  
are universally accepted.   
  
Micki- My goal with these is to make them just like any romance fics  
out there to some extent. I don't think slash needs to be explicit  
to be enjoyable, just like hetro fics don't need to be explicit.   
Glad you are enjoying all three series, they should be overlapping  
soon... :-D  
  
r i d d l e- Thanx, I hope you liked this part too.  
  
Knight Smeg- Okay this is off topic, but I really love your stories! :-)  
I wrote the first bit with Lockhart as very lively and entergetic,  
but I think my storyline will work better with him as brooding  
and unresponsive.   
  
Ginny .H. Weasley- I know the parts I post are short, but that's because  
I rely on feedback on each smaller part to try to improve the next.  
  



	3. Traitor's Price

  
The Man Who Lied - Part III  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
READ BELOW FIRST:  
  
Author's Note: As you might already know, this is the third   
series in my altraverse that includes "The Girl Who Loved and   
"The Boy who Cried." Timewise, it starts at the beginning of   
year 6 for the gang, just like "The Boy Who Cried" does.  
"The Girl Who Loved" hasn't started yet, so Harry and   
Hermione are a couple. Confused yet? :-D  
  
Note that these three series will eventually combine into   
one story describing a 7th year where all three pairings   
are in full bloom. Watch for that story, "The Souls That Died,"   
sometime after I finish posting all the parts of the current   
three trilogies :-) So yes, for the skeptical, there IS an   
underlying plot that entwines all three of these rather   
fluffy fics.  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! Yeesh. Lockhart/Snape. Kay?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hastening into the lunch room, Ron noticed rather bitterly  
that Harry and Hermione had not even bothered to save him  
a seat. He looked around for someone to sit with, but most  
of the Gryffindors he knew had scattered- Neville had   
migrated to sit with the Slytherins, which was certainly  
appalling, and Seamus was off flirting with that Ravenclaw  
Cho Chang. So it was with some hesitation that Ron chose a  
seat near the end of the table, where he could watch the  
goings on of the dining hall without having to deal with  
anyone.  
  
Ron barely touched the meal in front of him, for his   
attentions were elsewhere entirely. He was remembering   
Snape and Lockhart, remembering and trying his best to  
understand what he had seen. Hermione had always insisted  
Snape wasn't as bad as he and Harry believed, and today,  
watching Snape care for Lockhart in a manner that for   
anyone else would be caused selflessly... unlikely though  
it seemed, maybe Hermione had been right.  
  
Glancing up the table to watch Hermione, Ron grimaced.  
Hermione always used to argue in Snape's defense, or against  
breaking rules, or against whatever else Ron and Harry  
had been so set on. It had at the time been irritating, but  
Ron saw now that Hermione had actually provided a good  
temper for the hot headedness of the two boys. But now, as  
Harry's girlfriend, Hermione had none of her old spirit.  
She seemed almost resigned to a position behind Harry, not  
beside him. And as a consequence of that, Harry had grown  
bolder and more arrogant.   
  
Ron might as well devote his time to helping Snape, he   
thought grimly as the sound of Harry's laughter drifted back  
to him. Right now, Snape seemed almost more human, more  
caring, than Harry did.  
  
Leaving his meal, Ron gathered up his books and made his   
way towards Transfiguration class.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now that Ron was gone, Snape reclined in a fine velvet   
chair as Lockhart ate. His own stomach growled softly to  
remind him that he had skipped breakfast, and now was  
skipping lunch as well, but he ignored it. He was content  
simply to watch Lockhart, content to see that Lockhart  
had at very least gained his memory of such basic functions  
as eating.   
  
Lockhart felt Snape's eyes upon him as he ate ravenously  
of the offered cuisine. The food was all new to him, the  
tastes, whether bitter or sweet, all felt as a new sensation  
to his awakened taste buds. Lockhart could not remember  
ever having enjoyed food more... of course, he could hardly  
remember anything at all.  
  
Looking up at Snape, Lockhart finished the last of the  
rasberry pastries and asked tentatively, "Why did it take  
so long for me to wake up?"  
  
Snape lowered his gaze, unable to look Lockhart in the eyes.  
He'd known that Lockhart would ask that, of course. But  
he dreaded giving the answer. He spoke carefully,   
delibirating over each word. "You didn't respond to my   
potion. Today I tried something different... I had Potter  
and Weasley and Granger work on it. And now you remember."  
He bit his lip, but managed to continue with honest regret,  
"I... I must have failed somehow when making the potion.  
From now on, Weasley's going to brew it, with my supervision."  
  
Lockhart frowned, "So you've been brewing this for me   
all this time?"  
  
Snape nodded wordlessly. "I gave you a daily dose, but  
you never responded."  
  
"I remember... I remember none of this. I remember only...  
a place far from here. I heard people calling for me, but  
I couldn't answer. It was like something was stopping me  
from answering." Lockhart's brow furrowed with thought,  
then he spoke the single name that came to mind. "Voldemort."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later, Snape left the chamber, shaken. His eyes  
were wide with something akin to fear, and he kept absently  
clenching his arm where the dark mark lay hidden beneath  
the sleeves of his silky robe.  
  
He had a class to teach now... 5th year potions, or some  
such nonsense... but he did not head towards the classroom.  
Instead, he directed his steps up to Dumbledore's office.   
Knocking, he waited for the door to open before him as  
the headmaster acknowledged his presence.  
  
Snape entered, too tense even to sit. Dumbledore glanced  
up at him, and the headmaster's eyes widened at the sight.  
"What is it?" Dumbledore asked cooly, setting aside the  
latest budget predictions for Hogwarts.  
  
"Lockhart's memory started to return today. Or at least  
some of his... personality." Snape said bluntly. When  
Dumbledore gestured for him to continue, Snape drew   
in a rattling breath, "He doesn't remember any of the  
time he's spent here recovering. Instead... he says he  
remembers being held somewhere, in spirit. And the name...  
he spoke of Voldemort. That was all he would say. He   
went pale, and would speak no more, no matter what I tried  
to coax it out of him."   
  
All this was spoken with unneccesary haste, and Dumbledore  
took a moment to sort it all out. "Do you think Voldemort  
was somehow involved in this?"  
  
"It would explain why the potion wasn't working." Snape  
swallowed back a lump that rose in his throat, and added  
painfully, "It's also possible... that the potion was  
Voldemort's way of keeping Lockhart from returning to his  
full state. Voldemort could have... he might have used  
imperius on me. Then I would have failed in the potion  
making."   
  
Snape bowed his head. "This is all my fault. I should have  
listened to you. Who knows how long it will take Lockhart   
to recover now?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued...  
  
I'm really uncertain about the ending part. I'm trying  
to make Snape seem overwhelmed with guilt... WITHOUT  
saying "Snape appeared overwhelmed with guilt". Plus...  
the Voldemort tie in is part of the underlying plot :-D  
Please review. I'll rewrite this last part if someone   
has a better idea.  
  
  



	4. Ron's Discovery

The Man Who Lied - Part IV  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
READ BELOW FIRST:  
  
Author's Note: As you might already know, this is the third series in   
my altraverse that includes "The Girl Who Loved and "The Boy who Cried."   
If you want more info about this altraverse, go to my website at:  
http://www.geocities.com/ratheramutemwiya/  
  
This installment in particular takes place *concurrently* to The Girl  
Who Loved Part V. If you haven't read that series, it is also linked  
from my website. Review to tell me what you think of these concurrent  
story ties please!  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! This one is Lockhart/Snape in particular,  
and trust me, it is going to get weird. But I think I have an okay idea  
for it, so please give it a try!! Ron costars with them, I normally hate  
his char but I wanted to try developing it by giving him a new frame of  
reference on life.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Long after Snape had left, Dumbledore remained sitting stiffly at his  
desk. His pensieve was sitting before him, glowing softly with its own  
beckoning light, but he did not reach for it.   
  
The possibility that Voldemort could to some extent control his  
followers through his Mark was one that had been brought before him   
by Aurorers in the past, but Dumbledore had never heeded it. But now,  
with Snape insisting that this was the reason for Lockhart's slow  
recovery, he could not just ignore it.  
  
Finally letting his hand caress the wood of the pensieve, Dumbledore  
drew forth a memory about a trial he had witnessed once... one where  
the deatheater in question had been unexpected to say the least. He   
let himself be enveloped by the memory, closing his eyes to the   
concious world.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A younger Dumbledore sat in the back of the courtroom as a young  
girl was half dragged into the chamber, her wrists bound behind her  
back and her eyes wild with fear. The sleeves of her robe had   
been ripped off, and the Dark Mark glowed defiantly even as its  
bearer sobbed and pleaded.  
  
When Crouch asked the girl to explain why she was pleading innocent  
when she had been found sitting next to the dead bodies of an entire  
family, clearly guilty, the girl's sobs increased tenfold. "I don't  
remember!" She shrieked. "It couldn't have been me! I don't remember!"  
  
As Crouch delivered the verdict of guilty with barely a second thought,  
the girl's cries became more frantic. "The gods help me, I didn't kill  
them! I don't even know who they were!"  
  
The crowd around Dumbledore muttered anxiously. The girl looked so   
young... Dumbledore remembered her graduating only a year ago, when  
she was near the top of her class and the Prefect of Ravenclaw   
house. No one wanted to believe that she had so quickly fallen from   
grace, but the evidence was so clear...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Or was it all as clear as it had seemed then? The older Dumbledore   
saw in the girl the same frantic helplessness that Snape had displayed   
earlier that day.   
  
Dumbledore returned to his silent contemplation, and the night passed  
without event as he sat in the hard backed chair of his office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The following day, Ron leaned over Hermione's shoulder to get a glimpse  
of a dusty and clearly rarely touched potions book she had uncovered.   
Hermione flipped through the pages irritably, almost oblivious to his  
presence as she hunted for her query. When this book too turned up  
nothing, she looked at Ron in frustration. "It is nice to see you   
devoting yourself to your studies for once Ron, but why this sudden  
interest in the memorius potion?"   
  
Staring intently at the table, Ron replied casually, "Well, after...  
after Snape had us brew it in class I was fascinated by it. Some of the  
ingredients just didn't seem to make sense.  
  
Rolling her eyes, Hermione rose to browse the shelves once more. As he  
rose to follow her, Ron knew he dared not say more to Hermione lest she  
begin to suspect... Snape would not appreciate the secret of Lockhart's   
condition becoming common knowledge. But Ron wasn't lying when he said  
the ingredients didn't make sense- they didn't! From even what little he  
knew of potions, it seemed there was room for improvement.   
  
When Ron had earlier broached the subject with Snape, the professor had  
dismissed- probably, Ron was inclined to think, because Ron had thought  
of it first. But all quarelling aside, Ron felt to some extent responsible  
for Lockhart's current condition. If he could figure out what about the   
potion seemed so wrong to him, maybe he could find a cure.  
  
Hermione's voice at his side caused Ron to start out of his revelry.   
She was holding a book and looking gleeful- a sure sign that she had  
found some dusty tome that no one had opened in years, Ron thought  
with a wry grin.  
  
As Hermione opened the book and pointed to the section on memory   
alteration herbs, Ron saw a flicker of red hair out of the corner of   
his eye. Ginny was peering through the books on the other side of the   
library, a look of hurt in her eyes... and even jealousy? Ron tried to  
get a better look, but Ginny had already disappeared. With a sigh, he  
returned to his study of the tome... and quickly found far more  
interesting things to occupy his mind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was not till hours later that Ron left Hermione alone in the library,  
a bit reluctant to depart but wanting to share his discovery with   
Professor Snape immediately. When he passed the halls and saw the   
grandfather clock posed at "lights out for students," he cursed under  
his breath. Snape would have to wait until tomorrow, Hermione might be  
enough of a teacher's pet to get away with still being up, but Ron was  
in enough trouble as it was.  
  
The notes he'd taken on a possible alteration for the memorius potion   
tucked under his arm, Ron ascended to his dormitory and prepared for  
bed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Snape waited impatiently for Ron to show up with the potion for Lockhart.  
Lockhart himself was staring at the ceiling, his dinner barely touched  
and his thoughts far removed from the confines of the tiny room.   
  
When it was obvious Ron was not going to show up, Snape shattered the  
silence of the chamber and murmured, "I'm afraid you'll have to do   
without any antidote tonight, Weasley has proven unreliable."  
  
Lockhart had come to that conclusion himself nearly an hour ago, but   
one question still nagged at him. "Why can't you brew the potion yourself?"  
He asked.  
  
Snape tensed at the words, but knew he owed Lockhart an answer. "It   
is... it is possible that my potion was responsible for your being  
bound by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."  
  
"How is that possible?" Lockhart asked in shock. "Surely you weren't...  
you weren't poisoning me in that manner?"  
  
"To my knowledge, I was not." His unconcious emphasis on the words caused  
Lockhart to narrow his eyes. Snape continued, "I was once... I was once  
numbered among His followers. It is possible he was able to control your  
recovery through me, using the Imperius curse."  



	5. **First Multistory Chapter**

Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, it has been a while. Blame AP tests and   
final exams. Not to mention a few million other distractions,  
most originating from school. Anyhoo, this portion replaces  
my little teaser for the Girl Who Loved V and acts as the next  
part for *all* three fics.  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-) (Thanks   
to Charlotte for being the first person to read the author's  
note *and* reply to it :-D )  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron sidled closer to Hermione, wrapping his arm around the  
back of her chair as he leaned in to study the potions book.  
Hermione shifted uncomfortably under his touch, but put up  
with the casual contact without comment for the sake of   
appearances. She heard Lavender and Parvati giggling in the  
corner and blushed faintly- she knew what they were thinking,  
and didn't much approve of it. But... to hide her secret,   
she'd do what was neccessary. With a sigh, she snuggled closer  
to Ron.   
  
She didn't notice Ginny enter the common room and storm up  
the stairs in disgust.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny lay alone in her dorm room, trying to lose herself in a  
battered copy of "101 Things About the Dark Arts (that your   
teacher *never* taught you)." Ginny had found it discarded on  
the floor of the Gryffindor common room, and seeing that the  
name on the inside cover was "Neville Longbottom" she knew for  
a fact no one would guess it had been taken for days, so being  
too lazy to face the library, she'd "borrowed" it. Besides,   
the book held a strange fascination for her. Its descriptions   
of death and torture were certainly far more palatable than   
the new Hogwarts romance being enacted downstares.  
  
Not that Ginny would care about that. Not that all she could   
think about was the sight of Hermione and Ron together   
"studying".   
  
After all, it wasn't as if Ginny had been dumped.  
  
At least, not yet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione waved to Ron as he departed on some small errand of   
his own, and waited until he'd passed through the Fat Lady's  
portrait before she hurried up to the girls dorm rooms.   
"Ginny?" She whispered, rapping gently on the door of the   
fifth year room. The door swung open to allow Hermione to  
enter.  
  
"Hey there, carrot top." Hermione said fondly as she took   
a lazy perch beside Ginny on the bed, running her fingers   
through her girlfriend's hair.  
  
"Hi, book worm." Ginny replied absently, her gaze not leaving  
her book.  
  
Hermione peered over Ginny's shoulder and read aloud from the  
page, "The corpsus concealus charm is used for funerals and   
any other necessary disposal of corpses. Originally developed  
by a crafty undertaker, the charm is now a standard spell in  
the tomes of Dark Arts practicioners. In one documented case,  
a follower of He Who Must Not Be Named used a variant of the  
spell to bury his victim alive..." She trailed off with a   
shudder. "How can you read this?"  
  
Ginny smiled unpleasantly. "I suppose it is rather morbid,   
but then, it suits my mood perfectly."  
  
Hermione frowned, taking the book from Ginny's hands and   
meeting her gaze worriedly. "And why is that?"  
  
"Why don't you go ask Ron?" Ginny replied fiercely. Grabbing  
the book back, she rose and stormed out of the room.  
  
Hermione's eyes watched Ginny leave, before she followed slowly.  
There was no talking to Ginny when she was like this. One   
thing was clear, however- Hermione needed to sort matters   
out with Ron.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By the time Hermione located Ron in the main dining hall, it  
was time to go to Snape's class. The two walked together, but  
in the bustling corridors there was no chance to talk. Ron  
escorted Hermione in to Snape's dungeon only a few minutes  
before the start of class, leading her up to a seat right near  
Snape's desk. Dracao and Neville were seated across the aisle   
from them, along with their companions Crabbe and Goyle. Ron  
eyed the group nervously, but with no other seats in the room  
available there wasn't much he could do about being close to  
them.   
  
Draco met Weasley's gaze fiercely, smirking to himself when the  
other boy turned away. He unconciously stroked Neville's pale  
hand, not willing to speak but wanting to offer the other boy  
what assurances he could. He'd felt Neville tense as Ron drew  
near, and although he did not know the reason, he would venture  
to guess that it was in some way his fault.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Severus stormed in to the classroom, his robes billowing around  
him and revealing the black pajama pants he'd left on from when  
he'd stumbled out of bed only minutes earlier. If any of his   
students planned to laugh, their mirth was silenced by the   
ferocity of his glare. As he took his seat in front of the class  
room and regarded his students wordlessly, even Draco shifted  
uncomfortably in his seat. Finally Snape spoke, in a voice that-  
though barely louder than a whisper- carried into the darkest   
corners and caused even the spiders there to flee in terror.  
"Get out your cauldrons and open your tomes to the Lupus Noctus  
potion. I'll be checking them for imperfections in half an   
hour."  
  
Draco was first on his feet, opening his tome and going to the   
back table to gather the necessary ingredients. Other students  
followed only after they had reassured themselves that Snape   
wasn't planning to fry any student that moved. When Ron rose,  
Snape again spoke, just the sound causing many students to   
freeze guiltily in their tracks. "Weasley. I need to see you  
in my office."  
  
Ron gaped at him- what office, and why? But when Snape walked  
to the back of the room and opened a door Ron hadn't even *seen*  
before, Ron was quick to follow, gathering with him the notes  
he and Hermione had made on the memorious potion. The two   
disappeared from the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Even with Snape gone, there was little conversation among the  
students. Draco watched the door of Snape's office worriedly.  
When Neville touched his arm and drew him back to reality,   
Draco shook his head. "Poor Weasley."  
  
"Now that's something I never expected to hear from you."   
Neville commented dryly.  
  
"Well I've rarely seen Snape that angry before." Draco replied  
with a shrug. "The way I see it, two things could be happening.  
Either Snape's about to detatch Weasley's head from his neck,  
or those two are sleeping together."  
  
"That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" Neville said with a grin.  
  
"Not as much as you might think. He *is* gay, you know. Father  
told me he and Lockhart almost got suspended for "inappropriate  
displays of affection when they went to school here. Lucky for  
Lockhart that Dumbledore decided to keep it quiet."  
  
"I bet that Skeeter woman would just love to hear about that."  
Neville grinned almost wickedly. "Just imagine how many hearts  
it would break if people found out Lockhart was gay."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End of the first joint part in the series! Please review: what  
do you think of this style?  
  



	6. **Second Multistory Chapter**

Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, it has been a while. Blame AP tests and   
final exams. Not to mention a few million other distractions,  
most originating from school. Anyhoo, this portion continues  
from the last multistory part- once the students are out of   
potions class it will return to the usual separate stories,   
however, so bear with me here if you prefer that :-)  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-)   
  
PS: For those of you who clamoured for more of Harry- I don't  
remember who it was, but I'm sure it was someone- you'll get   
it in this chapter!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry stood in the back of the potions classroom, akwardly  
gathering his ingredients together as he searched the room   
for a partner. For a moment, however brief, Harry wished  
that Colin Creevey were in the class- at least then he   
wouldn't have to be alone. As it was, the only Gryffindor  
without a partner was Hermione. And Harry refused to humble  
himself by going over to her. Which left the Slytherins.  
Well, what the hell? Neville had done it. So could he.  
  
Pansy Parkinson edged away from Milicent Bulstrode warily.  
She looked around hopelessly for Draco, but he was nowhere  
to be found. Not again! Pansy was sick of Draco avoiding   
her- she'd waited for him for over an hour in the library  
that very morning when he said he'd meet her there, but   
he never had. And now, he'd left her to babysit Millicent.  
Well, not today. Marching to the back of the room, Pansy  
went to confront Draco- and almost collided with Harry.  
  
Harry gritted his teeth in annoyance as several of his   
carefully chopped glow worms went flying from his cauldron.  
"Is there some reason you're running through the classroom,  
Parkinson?" He snapped icily.  
  
"None of your business, Potter." She noted with surprise   
that the boy wonder was working alone. Oh no, Pansy- you  
aren't really thinking that. Well... why not? At the very  
least, it might make Draco jealous. "Potter... do you need  
a lab partner?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione tossed the last of the ingredients into her potion,  
setting it to boil with a flick of her wand. She glanced up  
at the clock- Ginny would be in Transfiguration right now.   
Mayhbe working on her shielding spells would help Ginny blow  
off some steam. Hopefully. Because otherwise, she would have  
to get Ron to tell Ginny that there was nothing going on   
between them.   
  
And that would be problematic... because Hermione wanted Ron  
to ask her to the upcoming Yule Dance. She couldn't exactly   
go with Ginny, and as a prefect she needed to be there. If   
at all possible, she had to settle this without getting Ron  
involved.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron stared in awe around the room that served as Snape's  
"office." Everything was black, green, or silver- clearly,  
Snape's devotion to House Slytherin ran deep. Or he wanted  
people to believe it did. Either way, it didn't surprise  
him. What surprised him was that this was clearly no office.  
A wardrobe and bookshelf lined one wall across from a   
luxorious four poster bed, but there was no desk in sight.  
  
Severus fumed silently as he led Ron into his chambers.  
The image of Lockhart suffering through the night as he  
lost some of his newly regained memories was still fresh  
in his mind, and it was hard for him not to give into the  
temptation to strangle Ron right then and there. However,  
he valued his position at Hogwarts too much for that.  
And besides, physical strength had never been one of his  
traits.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Any student at Hogwarts could attest that there was   
nothing quite so terrifying as being stared down by Snape.  
For Ron, the terror was twofold, as he hadn't the slightest  
idea what he'd done to deserve the Professor's rage. Snape's  
gaze had the same ability to petrify as the stare of a   
baskilisk, and Ron felt that all too clearly now as he  
quivered before him. When Snape *still* did not speak,   
Ron could handle it no longer.   
  
The first words to escape Ron's lips were- unsurprisingly  
considering who he was faced with- an apology. "Professor  
Snape, I'm sorry I didn't make it to mix the potion for  
you yesterday... but I couldn't get out until late and  
then it was time for light's out..."  
  
Snape rolled his eyes in disgust. "And just why was it,   
Weasley," he murmured venomously, "That you couldn't   
find the time for it earlier? This isn't some assignment  
you can blow off and forget about.  
  
"This is a man's mind. Does that mean nothing to you?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville's potion making abilities suffered from his   
perpetual distraction, and though he had the decency not  
to comment, Draco was beginning to get more than a little  
frustrated with him. Finally, when Neville looked up   
from his cauldron to glance at the door of Snape's office  
for the sixteenth time- Draco had been counting- he could  
take it no more. "What is it, Neville?? Is there something  
fascinating about that door the rest of us just can't see?"  
  
Having the decency to blush at the question, Neville said  
in a whisper, "It's nothing, really."  
  
Draco smiled cynically. "My dear Neville, 'nothing' isn't  
worth all the attention you've been directing over there.  
So what is it?"  
  
"Well..." Neville giggled, a rather feminine sound for all  
that it came from the mouth of a teenage boy. "I was just  
wondering what Ron and Snape are really up to, I guess."  
  
"I bet they're making out."  
  
"Draco!" Neville gasped with a mix of embarrassment and  
shock. "Really... that's just bloody unlikely."  
  
"You think so, eh?" Draco smirked. "I'll make you a bet.  
If Ron comes out of there looking...satisfied, you buy  
me dinner tonight in Hogsmeade."  
  
"Well..." Neville pretended to consider it. "That's not  
really fair, is it? He could come out of there looking  
happy for some other reason, for all you know."  
  
Draco gave him a look. "Oh yes, because we all know that  
being dragged into Snape's office is an occasion for   
such joy and celebration. Especially when Snape looks  
as mad as he did earlier."  
  
Neville grinned- Draco certainly had a point. It wasn't   
like Snape had called Ron in there to throw him a party  
or something. "Alright, it's a bet. But if... correction,  
*when*... I end up winning, you owe me dinner tonight."  
  
The two shook on it, both confident that they would win.  
Neville was certain of it, even.  
  
After all... if Ron were gay, surely Neville would have   
noticed it before now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Pansy labored in silence, neither one willing  
to be the first to speak. The cauldron between them   
simmered as it boiled while the two of them simmered   
equally inside- with the heat of rage. Ever since being  
cast off by their respective significant others, both  
had been alone. And from their loneliness only hatred  
had risen.  
  
If anyone had told Harry a year ago that he'd have more   
in common with Pansy than with Hermione, he'd have laughed.   
But now, as he fell deeper into self imposed isolation,   
he felt a kinship with Pansy that he would never before   
have imagined.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione hovered over her potion as it boiled, checking  
and rechecking the list of ingredients as she put the   
finishing touches on it. Now all she needed was for   
Snape to come out and criticize it... should only be  
a few minutes from now, she thought wrily, glancing up  
at the clock.   
  
Even after several years of taking potions, a way to  
please Snape with her endeavors had still not come to   
her. She'd read all the textbooks, made all the potions  
with enviable precision, and none of it seemed to have  
helped. And now, she had another perfect potion on her  
hands that he would pass by with only a snarl.  
  
Hermione looked again at the list of ingredients. What  
was it Ron had said yesterday... ingredients not making  
sense... Hmm. Why was it, she wondered, that unicorn  
hair was in here? Phoenix feathers would be more   
effective...  
  
Suddenly resolved, Hermione went and poured her potion  
down the sink, ignoring the horrified gasps of her   
classmates. Returning to the ingredients table, she   
began to pick out new supplies... this time with her  
own variations.  
  
For once, her grade was the furthest thing from her  
mind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco and Neville sat on the bench near their cauldron,  
bored. Their potion had been finished over fifteen minutes  
before, thanks to Draco's rather inventive shortcuts.  
  
Neville watched as Hermione dumped her entire potion  
into the sink. "What do you think got into her?" He   
whispered, nudging Draco and gesturing over to Hermione.  
  
Draco grinned, a hearty laugh escaping him. "Maybe the   
little Granger finally wisened up."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End of the second joint part in the series! Please review:   
what do you think of this style? There will be another part   
like this to finish off the sequence before it returns to   
my usual style :-D  
  
ATTENTION ALL READERS: I'm looking for a beta reader for   
future parts... there are so many details to keep track of  
these days that I need some help. If you'd be willing to   
help out, leave a review with your email address.  
  



	7. **Third Multistory Chapter**

Third Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I'm picking this story up again after   
leaving it unfinished for months. :-)  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-)   
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron glared at Snape, angered by the accusation. He'd spent hours  
trying to find a cure for Lockhart, hours that should have gone   
towards Quidditch or romance or even homework-- and now Snape  
had the nerve to accuse him of being indifferent to Lockhart's   
plight! Rage rose in him, and rage made him bold. "I know this  
is a man's mind we're dealing with-- but it's you who needs my  
help, not the other way around. I've put hours into Lockhart's  
care, and I will continue to do so for his sake, so don't you  
*dare* accuse me of betraying him, or you, again!"  
  
Professor Snape's eyebrow raised, the only visible sign of his  
suprise. Well, well, he thought, so the Weasley has a backbone  
after all. The stress of watching Lockhart recover, only to watch  
him deteriorate again, had made him unreasonable. Whether he   
wanted to face it or not, Snape was dependent on Ron now, for in  
Ron's hands alone lay the ability to restore Lockhart's memories.  
  
"Forgive me, Mr. Weasley." The words were spoken with all of  
Snape's bitterness behind them, but at least he had managed to  
force them out. "I hope- I know- that you are just as concerned   
for Gild... for Mr. Lockhart as I. This last evening events   
forced me to come to term with the fact that Lockhart's condition  
might in some way be my... fault. I cannot risk brewing the  
potion for him again. If you would consent to be my lab assistant...  
at least for the next month... then perhaps there is hope for him."  
  
Ron's anger relented some, for he was only too familiar with   
pride, and the pain of having to relinquish it to ask for help.  
Snape's offer was more of a concession than he would have expected-  
professors rarely tapped a student to be an assistant, and when they  
did, it was normally a seventh year or at least a prefect. If  
Snape gave him that honor, he wouldn't have to worry about being  
caught out of bounds after "light's out" or any such infractions...  
it would be the perfect cover to help Lockhart. And even if Lockhart  
had been an insufferable git before, even he didn't deserve to   
continue like this. But working with Snape... Ron had certainly   
never expected to be in that position. "I would be honored, then,  
to work with you."  
  
Snape smiled, knowing very well that Ron could think of many more  
enticing ways to spend his free hours then working with Hogwarts'   
most loathed professor. "Very well then, I will file the necessary   
paperwork with Dumbledore. I'll expect you by tonight after dinner  
to work on the potion?"  
  
Ron nodded, encouraged by Snape's apparent good humor, and hastened  
to add, "Yes, I'll be there.. and there's something else, too, last  
night I did some research into the potion... I have a few ideas for  
how to speed up its effect."  
  
Snape doubted that a student could have uncovered anything that he  
hadn't noticed, but decided to indulge him nonetheless, "Bring your  
research with you then. But for now, I believe there's a potion in  
the other room awaiting your attention." He opened the door to the  
classroom and ushered Ron in before him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Ron returned to the cauldron where Hermione was working furiously,  
she barely acknowleged his approach. Ron watched her actions confused,  
for the ingredients she had out, not to mention the order she was  
adding them, didn't seem to follow the recipe in the textbook.  
  
"Err... Hermione? Are you sure that's right?"  
  
She finally glanced up at him, and began speaking rapidly, "Well, I'm  
not sure it's right... but you see, the original recipe called for   
phoenix feathers and that didn't seem logical because that would   
actually dilute the effects of the toad's feet so instead I'm adding  
swan feathers to keep the essence fundamentally in the element of   
water but then..."  
  
Ron raised his hand, cutting her off with a laugh, "You lost me a   
long time ago, 'Mione. I'm sure whatever you're doing will work fine."  
  
With a shrug, Hermione returned to her potion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Far more interested in Ron and Professor Snape's return were Draco and  
Neville, who watched them eagerly as they looked for signs of a proper  
resolution to their bet. When they saw Ron had just a hint of a smile  
on his face, and Snape didn't even look as angry as he had when he'd  
left, Draco grinned in triumph. "See? I told you they'd be happy. You  
owe me dinner."  
  
Neville sighed, acknowledging the loss. "That's still a little creepy..  
I mean... *Snape*?"  
  
Draco smirked, "Well, even professors need to get laid."  
  
Neville shuddered, squeaking slightly at the image.  
  
Footsteps behind them stopped any further conversation. "Are you finished  
yet, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom?"  
  
Draco turned to Snape with an eager nod. "Oh of course, we were finished  
*ages* ago."  
  
Snape looked at the potion quickly, checking for consistency and color.  
Finally he nodded. "Creative as always, Mr. Malfoy. 5 points to Slytherin."  
  
At Malfoy's pointed look, Snape sighed. "And much improved, Mr. Longbottom.  
Mr. Malfoy has been a good influence on you, it seems. 5 points to...   
Gryffindor. You two might as well leave early, I don't expect any of the   
rest of these bunglers to be done any time soon."  
  
Draco and Neville were quick to exit, amid the glowers of jealous   
classmates still slaving over their cauldrons.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A half an hour later, Snape was making his final rounds checking potions  
and dismissing students when he reached Ron and Hermione. He already  
knew what to expect, a by the book potion that took no talent to produce,  
no knowledge, just pure and bland memorization.  
  
So it was with suprise and perhaps even pleasure that Snape regarded  
the potion, noting it's slightly darker color and the assortment of odd  
ingredients around the table.   
  
Hermione was flushed with pleasure as she paused in her stirring and  
waited for Snape's appraisal.   
  
"Swan feathers, Ms. Granger?" Snape finally asked, a hint of a smirk  
on his lips.  
  
Hermione swallowed. "To replace the phoenix feathers."  
  
"Did you consider the ramifications to the overall consistency?"  
  
"I tried to compensate with ginseng, which should have been neutral  
to the overall effect..."  
  
"Unless there was mandrake present for it to react with, which in this  
case there was. Note the colour."  
  
Hermione groaned, realizing she'd completely overlooked that.  
  
"Still... a reasonable effort. Full marks, but next time consider the  
full ramifications of any ingredients you add." With that, Snape moved  
on to the next pair.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Pansy had long ago lost interest in their potion, which had  
been completed halfheartedly and pronounced by Pansy suitable. They were  
now far more intent on their discussion of their classmates, and the  
apparent twists of personality and friendships that had marked the   
beginning of the year.  
  
"... and now Draco's been hanging around with *Longbottom* of all people,  
and completely ignoring me."  
  
"...Hermione's disappeared into the library, she won't even talk to me. And  
Ron seems more interested in seeking her out then bothering with me any  
more."  
  
There was almost a feeling of kinship between them, though their chatter was  
interrupted by Snape's approach. He glanced at their potion, sighed, and   
pronounced it "Barely satisfactory." With that, he marched out, leaving  
the few remaining students to gather their belongings and rush out with all  
the speed they could manage.  
  
Harry lingered, watching Pansy as she carefully packed her notes into a   
green and black shoulder bag. When she finally looked up at them, they stood  
in silence for an uncomfortable moment. "So..." Harry finally said.  
  
Seeing that Harry, for all his fame, was incapable of taking any initiative,  
Pansy inquired, "You have any plans for lunch?"  
  
Harry shook his head, but didn't speak.  
  
Sighing in exhasperation, Pansy asked pointedly, "Would you care to join me,  
then?"  
  
She finally got through to him, and he smiled. "I'd love to."  
  
Hand in hand, they headed to the Great Hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


End file.
